Chapter One: No Honor Amongst Thieves
It was somewhere close to the midnight hour when she had been awoken. Rudely. But now, as they crept through the castle careful to avoid the servants AND the night patrol, Hiraya didn't mind the waking. Hiraya, who had taken the lead, peeked around the corner into the hall beyond. Behind her Nobunaga waited a little impatiently. She looked left and then right and listened.
Clear.
The two proceeded into the hall and Nobunaga was sure to follow in Hirayas' steps. She'd managed to find all the squeaky boards in the castle; a testament to her resourcefulness. Half-way down the corridor soft candle light began to emerge and bend around the corner ahead. Hiraya grabbed Nobunaga by the collar, opened a closet door, and hauled him into the tight space with her. Softly she shut the door leaving the tiniest of cracks; a view of the hall. In the tight space they were pressed against one another.
"Hiraya….How bold of yo-"Nobunaga began to tease.
Hiraya covered his mouth with her hand. The audacity! The candle light came closer and the two held their breaths. Hideyoshi and Mitsunari, silent as ghosts, passed by and then disappeared from sight.
Hiraya glared up at Nobunaga, "The last time you got us caught Hideyoshi lectured me so long my ears bled for days!" she whispered.
He smiled against her soft palm, "You listened?" and managed to muffle out.
She removed her hand, "Don't make me throw you out a window." And slid the door open.
It was clear. Like a wisp of smoke she was gone. If he hadn't known her for the last three years Nobunaga could've sworn she was a shinobi. Calmly he followed once again. Silver moonlight was pouring through the shoji on the left casting everything in an ethereal glow. Hiraya was no exception.
Her yukata, now a whitewashed blue, swayed loosely around her tiny body with every step. He frowned. Nobunaga thought he'd ordered the castle seamstress to fix that so it would fit proper. Gathering the excess fabric up with her hands she stretched out a cautious foot testing the floor. Platinum gold hair flowed down her back, swaying delicately with her movements; it'd grown in the last six months nearly reaching her lower back now.
"Hurry up Old Man."
Nobunaga smirked. What a rare flower he'd collected indeed. Rounding the corner the two were cast into darkness but Hiraya was undeterred. The kitchen door was the second door on the left. Nobunaga picked the lock coloring Hiraya impressed. If only a little. He slid open the door and motioned her inside.
"How chivalrous." She muttered.
The kitchen was cold and empty but it smelled sweetly of meals passed. Nobunaga opened a window, letting in light and cool night air, while Hiraya busied herself with finding a new target. It didn't take long, only a few seconds, before finding the little clay jar hidden behind some pots. With prize in hand the two sat down on the packed earth floor behind the cutting table and enjoyed their missions' success.
Bathed in moonlight they enjoyed some sweets.
"How's your leg?" Hiraya whispered breaking the quiet.
That day, three years ago, when she'd saved him in the glen he'd broken his leg during the tumble his horse took. Despite Ayaka and her splinting the limb and it seeming to heal correctly he still walked with a minute limp. Hiraya imagined it must cause a bit of pain.
Nobunaga crunched on a piece of candy, "There is nothing wrong with it."
She shrugged. The was ALWAYS his answer. Saving face she supposed. The candy was sweet and bitter. It coated her tongue with a thick layer. In the moonlight Nobunaga eyed the angry scar on the top of her right foot. It had healed long ago but in its wake it'd left a vibrant, red mismatched line. Abruptly yukata hem fluttered over her foot.
Nobunagas' eyes shot up to meet hers. Even in the dim light they were eerie, striking pools of blue flecked with fiery emerald. They had a way of seeing people and seeing through them all at once.
"Who could possibly give you such a scar?"
The last two years Hiraya had gone to battle with the Oda forces and fought in the ranks.
She. Was. Untouchable.
Pursing her lips Hiraya thought about her response carefully. Everyone around her was very good at gleaning information.
"A man I met on the road to Azuchi."
Nobunaga perked to attention.
"Someone attacked you? On my road?"
Fiercely protective Nobunaga had made Azuchi his crowned jewel of all his territories. Violence within its boundaries was punishable by death. Ironic.
"Many years ago. He ran his sword through my foot and pinned me to the ground."
"Hira-"
She got to her feet and walked over to the window, "It's okay though."
He frowned as he gazed at her over his shoulder.
"I repaid his kindness by taking out his eye." She smiled.
Nobunaga shivered at the sight of that bloodless expression. Hiraya slipped out of the window-
"My lord?"
Sighing Nobunaga looked forward, towards the door, to see a very annoyed Hideyoshi standing there. The warlord looked from Hideyoshi to the window, back and to the clay jar sitting in his lap.
Hiraya had LITERALLY left him holding the stash!
Already he dreaded the speech his vassal would pour over him.